Chapter 52 p2
Xin Yao, unable to refuse, let herself be dragged along, her mind still reeling from Xu Jingyu’s sudden invitation.
As they reached the parking lot, they saw Xue Ning waiting by the car.
She was looking at her phone, her expression a mix of annoyance and amusement.
Seeing them approach, she put away her phone, a smile appearing on her face.
“Well, well, well, Miss Xin. No work for you today. Enjoy your little vacation.”
Their behavior, their secretive smiles, made Xin Yao suspicious. Something was going on, and it probably involved her.
“What’s happening? What are you two up to?”
Xue Ning hesitated, then blurted out, “Apparently, it’s the prime minister of Country A’s mother’s birthday today?”
What did that have to do with anything?!
Even if the prime minister’s father rose from the dead, she still had to go to work!
What a lame excuse!
But it was no use. Xu Jingyu had already pushed her into the car.
And as they drove away, Xu Jingyu and Xue Ning finally started discussing their plans.
Xu Jingyu turned to Xin Yao. “Yaoyao, is there anywhere you want to go?”
Xue Ning, who was driving, added, “It’s winter. Why don’t you two go somewhere warm?”
And as Xue Ning spoke, Xin Yao finally understood the reason for their strange behavior.
Liu Nuan Nuan, monitoring the online activity, had informed her.
The internet was exploding with hate towards Xin Yao.
Li Xu, having waited long enough, had finally made his move.
In Xin Yao’s previous life, the original owner, despite her initial attempts to move on, had been driven to suicide by Li Xu.
And the catalyst for her despair had been her family.
Li Xu had used them to strike the final, fatal blow.
But in Xin Yao’s eyes, they weren’t family.
At the age of eight, her parents had died in an accident, her once happy home shattered overnight.
Too young to be on her own, she had been sent to live with her aunt and uncle, her legal guardians.
But her aunt had resented her.
She had always believed that Xin Yao’s mother, a university graduate, had looked down on her, their relationship strained even before her death. And now, she was burdened with caring for Xin Yao, a constant reminder of her strained relationship with her sister.
Initially, she had tried to be kind, to fulfill her duty as Xin Yao’s guardian.
But caring for a child wasn’t a temporary responsibility.
It was a daily commitment, the extra chores, the extra laundry, the extra work, it had all become a burden.
And so, she had started to neglect Xin Yao, her favoritism towards her own children becoming increasingly obvious.
She had bought new clothes for everyone during the Lunar New Year, except for Xin Yao, whose clothes were old and worn.
Children grew quickly, and Xin Yao’s clothes had become too small, her shoes too tight, pinching her feet with every step.
One day, accompanying her aunt to visit relatives, a long walk that had left Xin Yao’s feet bleeding and blistered, her aunt, thinking she was being difficult, had scolded her harshly in front of everyone.
And as if to punish her further, when the relatives visited their home, her aunt had confined her to her room, giving her a small portion of food and leaving her alone.
Outside, her aunt had boasted about her new sofa, her new clothes, her voice filled with flattery towards her wealthy relatives.
And Xin Yao, alone in her room, her stomach rumbling, her feet aching in her tight shoes, hadn’t dared to leave.
She had looked out the window, tears streaming down her face.
Mom, I miss you so much.
But she no longer had a home.
Xin Yao’s childhood had been filled with such loneliness and neglect.
It had made her timid, insecure, and desperate for affection, always eager to please those who showed her even the slightest kindness.
And her sensitivity to others’ emotions made her even more vulnerable to heartbreak.
And it was this vulnerability, this lingering attachment to her aunt and uncle, that Li Xu had exploited.
After being dumped and publicly humiliated, her spirit broken, Li Xu had made his move.
Her cousin, a gambling addict, deep in debt, had started harassing her for money.
It hadn’t taken much convincing for Li Xu to manipulate him into targeting Xin Yao.
Out of a misplaced sense of familial obligation, she had given him money, again and again.
Until she had nothing left to give.
And then he had turned on her.
Following Li Xu’s instructions, her aunt and cousin had gone online, accusing her of being ungrateful and heartless, of abandoning them after they had raised her.
The online hate, already intense, intensified, the accusations adding fuel to the fire.
Everyone believed she was a terrible person.
And the original Xin Yao, unable to bear the weight of the world’s judgment, had ended her life.
Xin Yao sometimes wondered why the kindest people always seemed to suffer the most.
But now that she was here, she wouldn’t let it happen again.
She had known, since her meeting with Ying Xi, that Li Xu was targeting her.
Her cousin had started asking her for money.
Xin Yao, of course, had refused.
She hadn’t given him a single cent, ignoring his calls and messages.
Until he had been caught by his creditors and had his hand broken.
Then, they had become desperate, their actions escalating beyond Li Xu’s control.
Her cousin had broken into her apartment, stealing her money, her bankbook, and her jewelry.
He had assumed that Xin Yao, like the original owner, would be too timid and afraid to do anything.
It had happened just a few days ago.
Xin Yao and Liu Nuan Nuan, watching the live feed from the security cameras they had installed, had calmly sipped their tea as they watched him commit his crime.
Then, they had called the police.
The police had arrived quickly, catching him red-handed, and had arrested him.
Her cousin, terrified, his usual arrogance gone, had collapsed onto the floor, begging for mercy.
Then, remembering something, he had scrambled to his feet, claiming that it was his sister’s apartment, that he had simply been retrieving some of his belongings.
The police, looking at the broken lock, the ransacked apartment, had simply dragged him away.
His mother, frantic, had called Xin Yao repeatedly, but Xin Yao hadn’t answered.
Desperate to save her son, she had gone online, accusing Xin Yao of being ungrateful and heartless, hoping to shame her into dropping the charges.
The online hate, which had subsided slightly, erupted again, the netizens quick to condemn Xin Yao.
But Xin Yao had been waiting for this, waiting for them to incriminate themselves.
She had never intended to let them off the hook, but they had to commit a crime first.
Her cousin had been arrested for burglary, and her aunt had publicly slandered her. She wondered what the netizens’ reaction would be when the police report was released.
And she knew her cousin well enough to know that he would immediately implicate Li Xu, shifting the blame to protect himself.
The glamorous actor’s carefully constructed image would crumble, his secrets revealed.
The knife he had aimed at Xin Yao would now be turned against him, the mud he had slung at her now staining his own reputation.
The online hate she had endured would now be directed at him, each word a sharp, unforgiving blade.
It had all been part of Xin Yao’s plan. She hadn’t expected it to worry her friends and colleagues, however.
The crew, who believed in her, were furious on her behalf.
And the most vocal defender had been Jian Ru’yin’s father, who knew firsthand how kind and compassionate Xin Yao was, having witnessed her unwavering support for his daughter.
Xu Jingyu, seeing the news that morning, had immediately come to Xin Yao’s apartment, her first priority being Xin Yao’s well-being.
She had suppressed the trending topics, arranged for someone to deal with the situation, and then, wanting to distract Xin Yao from the online hate, had suggested a trip.
Xin Yao, looking at Xu Jingyu, her heart filled with gratitude, thought: My girlfriend is so sweet.
She remembered their life together in her previous world, a sudden inspiration striking her.
“How about the beach?”
“Huh?” Xue Ning, sitting in the front seat, was surprised. “The beach? But it’s…”
Xu Jingyu interrupted her. “Then we’ll go to the beach. My private beach.”
“Tsk,” Xue Ning, glancing at Xu Jingyu through the rearview mirror, shook her head. “Love truly makes people crazy.”
Xin Yao, noticing their exchange, frowned slightly, sensing something was amiss.
“Or maybe we should go somewhere else? The beach is a bit far. I don’t mind where we go, really.”
Xu Jingyu took her hand, her eyes softening.
“It’s fine. If you want to go to the beach, then we’ll go to the beach.”
Three hours later, Xin Yao, sitting on Xu Jingyu’s private jet, arrived at Xu Jingyu’s private beach.
And as they entered Xu Jingyu’s beachfront villa, Xin Yao realized, with a touch of amusement, that she had once again found herself a wealthy benefactress.
She stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the ocean, the sunlight sparkling on the water, a beautiful, mesmerizing sight.
Xu Jingyu, watching her, her eyes soft, asked, “Do you want to go for a swim?”
“Can we?” Xin Yao turned to her, her eyes shining with excitement.
Xu Jingyu nodded. “It’s my private beach. And there are lifeguards and lifeboats. It’s perfectly safe.”
A trip to the beach wasn’t complete without a swim.
Xin Yao, eager to get into the water, ran off to change into her swimsuit.
The swimsuit, thoughtfully provided by the housekeeper, was waiting for her in the bedroom.
She emerged a few minutes later.
Her slender frame and long legs, usually hidden beneath layers of clothing, were now on full display, her appearance transformed, her usual soft, gentle demeanor replaced by a confident sensuality.
Her waist was tiny, her legs long and smooth, her breasts, straining against the fabric of the swimsuit, a subtly alluring sight.
And her face, with its naturally seductive features, was even more captivating now, her eyes sparkling with a playful light.
A single glance from her was enough to make your heart race.
Xu Jingyu, who had brought Xin Yao here to relax, to escape the stress of the city and the online hate, now found herself captivated by Xin Yao’s beauty, her own heart pounding in her chest.
Xin Yao, however, oblivious to Xu Jingyu’s reaction, was still buzzing with excitement about her upcoming swim.
She walked over to Xu Jingyu, holding a bottle of sunscreen.
“Baby, can you help me with this? I don’t want to get sunburned.”
It was a simple request.
But as Xu Jingyu started applying the sunscreen, she realized it wasn’t so simple after all.
She sat on the bed, looking at Xin Yao, her swimsuit-clad body a vision of effortless sensuality, her gaze lingering on her long legs, the curve of her hips, her slender waist, and finally, on her smooth, white back.
Her back was almost completely bare, the thin straps of her swimsuit a delicate, almost fragile, barrier, both protective and alluring.
As Xu Jingyu’s gaze lingered, Xin Yao, growing impatient, spoke up.
Xu Jingyu finally started applying the sunscreen, her hand gently tracing Xin Yao’s waist.
“Mmm,” Xin Yao murmured, a shiver running through her body as Xu Jingyu’s cool hand touched her warm skin.
The sound was like a hook, catching Xu Jingyu’s attention, her hand stilling.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice slightly husky.
Xin Yao smiled, her body rubbing against Xu Jingyu’s hand. “It’s cold.”
Xu Jingyu rubbed her hands together to warm them, then resumed applying the sunscreen, her fingers tracing Xin Yao’s waist.
Xin Yao, however, started fidgeting again, complaining that it was too hot now.
She was so difficult to please.
Finally, finding the right temperature, Xu Jingyu continued, her hand moving upwards, spreading the creamy white lotion across Xin Yao’s back, her touch like a caress, her fingers tracing the smooth curves of her body, the lotion like moonlight on snow.
She reached the thin strap of Xin Yao’s swimsuit and hesitated, unsure whether to go over it, lift it, or simply untie it.
But she didn’t have to choose.
The strap, already loose, suddenly came undone.
Xin Yao, feeling the sudden release, turned her head, a puzzled expression on her face.
“Did you…?”
Xu Jingyu, her intentions exposed, feigned innocence.
“It wasn’t me,” she said, even though she had been thinking about it.
Just then, Xin Yao’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Xu Jingyu, are you… are you having a nosebleed?”
Xu Jingyu paused, instinctively touching her nose. Her fingers came away clean.
Xin Yao burst out laughing. “I was just kidding!”
But Xu Jingyu didn’t laugh.
Xin Yao, confused, turned to look at her and saw Xu Jingyu’s gaze fixed on her bare back, her eyes dark and intense, their message clear.
Xin Yao’s laughter died in her throat, her own eyes widening in disbelief.
“You’re not seriously… aroused by applying sunscreen, are you?”
“Wait, are you actually having a nosebleed?”
Xin Yao’s swimsuit strap, having come undone, had remained untied, her earlier teasing and laughter distracting her.
As she turned, her back was exposed, her breasts rising and falling with each breath, their shape clearly visible beneath the thin fabric of her swimsuit.
Xu Jingyu’s gaze, unable to resist, had lingered.
And then she had heard Xin Yao’s words, her exclamation of surprise.
This time, it seemed, it was real.
Xu Jingyu touched her nose, her finger coming away stained with a faint trace of blood.
Then, slowly, she looked up at Xin Yao, her gaze intense.
Xin Yao, meeting her eyes, froze for a moment, then, like a startled rabbit, she turned and ran.
But Xu Jingyu was faster, her long fingers reaching out and capturing Xin Yao’s ankle, pulling her back, slowly, inexorably, like a predator reeling in its prey.
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